THE PRESIDENT: Thank you for the warm welcome. I realize the Y-12
National Security Complex doesn't get a lot of visitors -- (laughter)
-- so thanks for the special arrangements. I'm also glad to have the
opportunity to thank each one of you for the vital work you do here.
And please pass the word to your fellow employees, many of whom were
waving, I want you to know, as we drove in, for which I'm thankful.
The nation counts on your great expertise and your professionalism in
producing, protecting, and maintaining material that is critical to our
security. America is safer because of your service at Oak Ridge. You
need to know our nation is grateful for that service. (Applause.)

I appreciate our Secretary of Energy Spence Abraham. He traveled
with me today. Thank you, Mr. Secretary, for your service. I want to
thank Jeffrey Wadsworth, who's the Director of Oak Ridge National
Laboratory. It's not the first time I've met Jeffrey. I appreciate
Jon Kreykes. I want to thank all the people who helped make this visit
a successful visit. I want to thank Senator Lamar Alexander, the other
members of the United States Congress who are traveling with us today
-- strong supporters, by the way, of Oak Ridge. I appreciate the Mayor
being here, David Bradshaw. Mr. Mayor, appreciate you taking time to
come. I want to thank my fellow citizens for giving me a chance to
come and visit.

I've just had a close look at some of the dangerous equipment
secured in this place. Eight months ago, the centrifuge parts and
processing equipment for uranium were 5,000 miles away in the nation of
Libya. They were part of a secret nuclear weapons program. Today,
Libya, America and the world are better off because these components
are safely in your care.

These materials are the sobering evidence of a great danger.
Certain regimes, often with ties to terrorist groups, seek the ultimate
weapons as a shortcut to influence. These materials, voluntarily
turned over by the Libyan government, are also encouraging evidence
that nations can abandon those ambitions and choose a better way.

Libya is dismantling its weapons of mass destruction and long-range
missile programs. This progress came about through quiet diplomacy
between America, Britain and the Libyan government. This progress was
set in motion, however, by policies declared in public to all the
world. The United States, Great Britain, and many other nations are
determined to expose the threats of terrorism and proliferation -- and
to oppose those threats with all our power. (Applause.) We have sent
this message in the strongest diplomatic terms, and we have acted where
action was required.

Every potential adversary now knows that terrorism and
proliferation carry serious consequences, and that the wise course is
to abandon those pursuits. By choosing that course, the Libyan
government is serving the interests of its own people and adding to the
security of all nations.

America's determination to actively oppose the threats of our time
was formed and fixed on September the 11th, 2001. On that day we saw
the cruelty of the terrorists, and we glimpsed the future they intend
for us. They intend to strike the United States to the limits of their
power. They seek weapons of mass destruction to kill Americans on an
even greater scale. And this danger is increased when outlaw regimes
build or acquire weapons of mass destruction and maintain ties to
terrorist groups.

This is our danger, but not our fate. America has the resources
and the strength and the resolve to overcome this threat. We are
waging a broad and unrelenting war against terror, and an active
campaign against proliferation. We refuse to live in fear. We are
making steady progress.

To protect our people, we're staying on the offensive against
threats within our own country. We are using the Patriot Act to track
terrorist activity and to break up terror cells. Intelligence and law
enforcement officials are sharing information as never before. We've
transformed the mission of the FBI to focus on preventing terrorism.
Every element of our homeland security plan is critical, because the
terrorists are ruthless and resourceful -- and we know they're
preparing to attack us again. It's not possible to guarantee perfect
security in our vast, free nation. But I can assure our fellow
Americans, many fine professionals in intelligence and national
security and homeland security and law enforcement are working around
the clock doing everything they can to protect the country. And we're
grateful to them all. (Applause.)

To overcome the dangers of our time, America is also taking a new
approach in the world. We're determined to challenge new threats, not
ignore them, or simply wait for future tragedy. We're helping to build
a hopeful future in hopeless places, instead of allowing troubled
regions to remain in despair and explode in violence. Our goal is a
lasting, democratic peace, in which free nations are free from the
threat of sudden terror. Our strategy for peace has three
commitments: First, we are defending the peace by taking the fight to
the enemy. We will confront them overseas so we do not have to
confront them here at home. (Applause.) We are destroying the
leadership of terrorist networks in sudden raids, disrupting their
planning and financing, and keeping them on the run. Month by month,
we are shrinking the space in which they can freely operate, by denying
them territory and the support of governments.

Second, we're protecting the peace by working with friends and
allies and international institutions to isolate and confront
terrorists and outlaw regimes. America is leading a broad coalition of
nations to disrupt proliferation. We're working with the United
Nations, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and other
international organizations to take action in our common security. The
global threat of terrorism requires a global response. To be
effective, that global response requires leadership -- and America will
lead. (Applause.)

Third, we are extending the peace by supporting the rise of
democracy, and the hope and progress that democracy brings, as the
alternative to hatred and terror in the broader Middle East. In
democratic and successful societies, men and women do not swear
allegiance to malcontents and murderers; they turn their hearts and
labor to building better lives. And democratic governments do not
shelter terrorist camps or attack their neighbors. When justice and
democracy advance, so does the hope of lasting peace.

We have followed this strategy -- defending the peace, protecting
the peace and extending the peace -- for nearly three years. We have
been focused and patient, firm and consistent. And the results are all
now clear to see.

Three years ago, the nation of Afghanistan was the home base of al
Qaeda, a country ruled by the Taliban, one of the most backward and
brutal regimes of modern history. Schooling was denied girls. Women
were whipped in the streets and executed in a sports stadium. Millions
lived in fear. With protection from the Taliban, al Qaeda and its
associates trained, indoctrinated, and sent forth thousands of killers
to set up terror cells in dozens of countries, including our own.

Today, Afghanistan is a world away from the nightmare of the
Taliban. That country has a good and just President. Boys and girls
are being educated. Many refugees have returned home to rebuild their
country, and a presidential election is scheduled for this fall. The
terror camps are closed and the Afghan government is helping us to hunt
the Taliban and terrorists in remote regions. Today, because we acted
to liberate Afghanistan, a threat has been removed, and the American
people are safer. (Applause.)

Three years ago, Pakistan was one of the few countries in the world
that recognized the Taliban regime. Al Qaeda was active and recruiting
in Pakistan, and was not seriously opposed. Pakistan served as a
transit point for al Qaeda terrorists leaving Afghanistan on missions
of murder. Yet the United States was not on good terms with Pakistan's
military and civilian leaders -- the very people we would need to help
shut down al Qaeda operations in that part of the world.

Today, the governments of the United States and Pakistan are
working closely in the fight against terror. President Musharraf is a
friend of our country, who helped us capture Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the
operational planner behind the September the 11th attacks. And
Pakistani forces are rounding up terrorists along their nation's
western border. Today, because we're working with the Pakistani
leaders, Pakistan is an ally in the war on terror, and the American
people are safer. (Applause.)

Three years ago, terrorists were well-established in Saudi Arabia.
Inside that country, fundraisers and other facilitators gave al Qaeda
financial and logistical help, with little scrutiny or opposition.
Today, after the attacks in Riyadh and elsewhere, the Saudi government
knows that al Qaeda is its enemy. Saudi Arabia is working hard to shut
down the facilitators and financial supporters of terrorism. The
government has captured or killed many first-tier leaders of the al
Qaeda organization in Saudi Arabia -- including one last week. Today,
because Saudi Arabia has seen the danger and has joined the war on
terror, the American people are safer. (Applause.)

Three years ago, the ruler of Iraq was a sworn enemy of America,
who provided safe haven for terrorists, used weapons of mass
destruction, and turned his nation into a prison. Saddam Hussein was
not just a dictator; he was a proven mass murderer who refused to
account for weapons of mass murder. Every responsible nation
recognized this threat, and knew it could not go on forever.

America must remember the lessons of September the 11th. We must
confront serious dangers before they fully materialize. And so my
administration looked at the intelligence on Iraq, and we saw a
threat. Members of the United States Congress from both political
parties looked at the same intelligence, and they saw a threat. The
United Nations Security Council looked at the intelligence, and it saw
a threat. The previous administration and the Congress looked at the
intelligence and made regime change in Iraq the policy of our country.

In 2002, the United Nations Security Council yet again demanded a
full accounting of Saddam Hussein's weapons programs. As he had for
over a decade, Saddam Hussein refused to comply. In fact, according to
former weapons inspector David Kay, Iraq's weapons programs were
elaborately shielded by security and deception operations that
continued even beyond the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom. So I had a
choice to make: Either take the word of a madman, or defend America.
Given that choice, I will defend America every time. (Applause.)

Although we have not found stockpiles of weapons of mass
destruction, we were right to go into Iraq. We removed a declared
enemy of America, who had the capability of producing weapons of mass
murder, and could have passed that capability to terrorists bent on
acquiring them. In the world after September the 11th, that was a risk
we could not afford to take.

Today, the dictator who caused decades of death and turmoil, who
twice invaded his neighbors, who harbored terrorist leaders, who used
chemical weapons on innocent men, women, and children, is finally
before the bar of justice. (Applause.) Iraq, which once had the worst
government in the Middle East, is now becoming an example of reform to
the region. And Iraqi security forces are fighting beside coalition
troops to defeat the terrorists and foreign fighters who threaten their
nation and the world. Today, because America and our coalition helped
to end the violent regime of Saddam Hussein, and because we're helping
to raise a peaceful democracy in its place, the American people are
safer. (Applause.)

Three years ago, the nation of Libya, a longtime supporter of
terror, was spending millions to acquire chemical and nuclear weapons.
Today, thousands of Libya's chemical munitions have been destroyed.
And nuclear processing equipment that could ultimately have threatened
the lives of hundreds of thousands is stored away right here in Oak
Ridge, Tennessee. Today, because the Libyan government saw the
seriousness of the civilized world, and correctly judged its own
interests, the American people are safer. (Applause.)

Three years ago, a private weapons proliferation network was doing
business around the world. This network, operated by the Pakistani
nuclear scientist, A. Q. Khan, was selling nuclear plans and equipment
to the highest bidder, and found willing buyers in places like Libya,
Iran, and North Korea. Today, the A. Q. Khan network is out of
business. We have ended one of the most dangerous sources of
proliferation in the world, and the American people are safer.
(Applause.)

Breaking this proliferation network was possible because of the
outstanding work done by the CIA. Dedicated intelligence officers were
tireless in obtaining vital information, sometimes at great personal
risk. Our intelligence services do an essential job for America. I
thank them for their dedication and hard work. (Applause.) The Senate
Intelligence Committee has identified some shortcomings in our
intelligence capabilities; the Committee's report will help us in the
work of reform. Our nation needs more intelligence agents -- what is
called human intelligence -- to cover the globe. We must have the
best, cutting-edge technology to listen and look for dangers. We must
have better coordination among intelligence services. I need, and the
Congress needs, the best possible intelligence in order to protect the
American people. We're determined to make sure we get it.

Three years ago, the world was very different. Terrorists planned
attacks, with little fear of discovery or reckoning. Outlaw regimes
supported terrorists and defied the civilized world, without shame and
with few consequences. Weapons proliferators sent their deadly
shipments and grew wealthy, encountering few obstacles to their trade.

The world changed on September the 11th, and since that day, we
have changed the world. (Applause.) We are leading a steady,
confident, systematic campaign against the dangers of our time. There
are still terrorists who plot against us, but the ranks of their
leaders are thinning, and they know what fate awaits them. There are
still regimes actively supporting the terrorists, but fewer than there
used to be. There are still outlaw regimes pursuing weapons of mass
destruction, but the world no longer looks the other way. Today,
because America has acted, and because America has led, the forces of
terror and tyranny have suffered defeat after defeat, and America and
the world are safer. (Applause.)

All this progress has been achieved with the help of other
responsible nations. The case of Libya's nuclear disarmament is a good
example. In the fall of 2003, American and British intelligence were
tracking a large shipment of nuclear equipment bound for Tripoli aboard
a German-registered cargo ship. We alerted German and Italian
authorities, who diverted the ship to an Italian port where the cargo
was confiscated. We worked together. These events helped encourage
Libya to reconsider its nuclear ambitions. That was a dramatic
breakthrough, achieved by allies working together. And the cooperation
of America's allies in the war on terror is very, very strong.

We're grateful to the more than 60 nations that are supporting the
Proliferation Security Initiative to intercept illegal weapons and
equipment by sea, land, and air. We're grateful to the more than 30
nations with forces serving in Iraq, and the nearly 40 nations with
forces in Afghanistan. In the fight against terror, we've asked our
allies to do hard things. They've risen to their responsibilities.
We're proud to call them friends. (Applause.)

We have duties and there will be difficulties ahead. We're working
with responsible governments and international institutions to convince
the leaders of North Korea and Iran that their nuclear weapons
ambitions are deeply contrary to their own interests. We're helping
governments fight poverty and disease, so they do not become failed
states and future havens for terror. We've launched our Broader Middle
East Initiative, to encourage reform and democracy throughout the
region, a project that will shape the history of our times for the
better. We're working to build a free and democratic Palestinian
state, which lives in peace with Israel and adds to the peace of the
region. We're keeping our commitments to the people of Afghanistan and
Iraq, who are building the world's newest democracies. They're
counting on us to help. We will not abandon them. (Applause.)
Delivering these nations from tyranny has required sacrifice and loss.
We will honor that sacrifice by finishing the great work we have
begun. (Applause.)

In this challenging period of our history, Americans fully
understand the dangers to our country. We remain a nation at risk,
directly threatened by an enemy that plots in secret to cause terrible
harm and grief. We remain a nation at war, fighting for our security,
our freedom, and our way of life. We also see our advantages clearly.
Americans have a history of rising to every test; our generation is no
exception. We've not forgotten September the 11th, 2001. We will not
allow our enemies to forget it, either. (Applause.)

We have strong allies, including millions of people in the Middle
East who want to live in freedom. And the ideals we stand for have a
power of their own. The appeal of justice and liberty, in the end, is
greater than the appeal of hatred and tyranny in any form. The war on
terror will not end in a draw, it will end in a victory, and you and I
will see that victory of human freedom. (Applause.)

I want to thank you all for coming. Thank you for your
dedication. May God bless you and your families, and may God continue
to bless our great country. Thank you very much. (Applause.)